Hey bound to be lots of hockey players in here so I figure I'll throw this out there as I haven't bought a new piece of equipment in ages. I'm looking to buy a new set of hockey gear and was wondering with all the branding that is out there these days what should I be looking for? The couple brands I am looking at right now are

Bauer Total One (Supreme)
Reebok 11K
CCM U+

A lot of places are having sales and stuff so I figure now is the time to upgrade my ancient stuff. Is it customary to buy all the same brand for the core pieces or is it better to mix and match? Again not sure of the fits these days as hockey gear has come aways since I last bought a set. Thanks a ton!

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I personally mix and match. Nobody's gonna see most of the equipment on you, so it won't matter what it looks like. I generally like the Bauer stuff of late. Don't buy Reebok (except the 10K/11K series)... bunch of cheap junk if you ask me.

EDIT: As for the Bauer supreme stuff, not sure if they still do the 20/30/40/50 numbering series anymore, but stay away from the 20/30 line. Especially for shin pads.

I also find (with the exception of sticks) that player branded hockey equipment for anything is far less durable and costs more compared to everything else. (Yes this is a direct jab at SC87 equipment. If Sid wears it himself, I won't be surprised if he gets hurt more often.)

Oh and Nike has some nice stuff, but only if it's on sale. I find they charge a lot more than the other manufacturers. Last thing too, for the chest protector, try on a jersey with it on before you buy... some of the spine protectors on these things make jerseys impossible to put on by yourself because the jersey gets caught on the pad.

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I'm with pianoman on this, mixing and matching is always the way I've gone.

I've got Bauer Supreme TotalOne pants and love them. I had tried on the One80's which were also really nice, but TotalOne's were on sale so I opted to get those.

Shin pads, elbows and shoulder pads are a mix of Reebok K series, so I'm sure as 11k is their top, they'd be even better.

I'm not sure if you're looking to buy new skates, but I bought the CCM U+ Crazy Lite's (last year's model) on sale this season and all I can say is WOW. They were marked down and I went for it and I can honestly say they make a good difference, but cost a pretty penny.

Either way, you can't really go wrong with lots of the stuff out there, but I'd say if you're going to spend the money, spend the extra 10-15% and buy from the mid-range quality lines or higher, cause some of RBK's and CCM's lower end stuff just tends to be a bit shitty, especially if your not buying new gear often.

Recommendation for a stick if ya need one, RBK 9K Sickkick III 100 Flex Duchene curve - I don't think I've ever had such a good stick.

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